"The First March of Gentlemen" is a fictitious narrative composed of authentic stories. Historical events related to the town of Września act as a starting point for reflection on protest and disciplinary mechanisms. In the series of collages, the reality of 1950s Poland ruled by communists blends with memories of the Września children’s strike at the beginning of the 20th century. This shift in time is not just a coincidence, as the issues which the project touches upon are universal, and may be seen as a metaphor for contemporary social tensions.

The project includes archive photos by Września photographer Ryszard Szczepaniak.

RAFAŁ MILACH (b. 1978, Poland) is an artist, photographer, and author of photobooks. For over ten years, Rafał Milach has been working on transition issues in Russian-speaking countries and the CEE region. He has earned worldwide recognition for his books – The Winners (2014), 7 Rooms (2011). He has won several prizes, including the World Press Photo (2008), Pictures of the Year International (2009/ 2012). In 2017 he was nominated for the prestigious Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize 2018. Co-founder of the Sputnik Photos collective. Has participated in a number of group shows and had numerous solo shows, including at C/O Berlin and Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw. His works can be found in the collections of the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts in Japan, Brandts in Odense, Denmark, CCA Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw, ING Polish Art Foundation, Museum in Gliwice.